Foreign Minister Brende at the UN to discuss the Post-2015 Development Agenda

Last updated: 6/10/2014 // Norway’s Foreign Minister Børge Brende visited New York this week to meet with key UN leaders and to advocate for good governance as a stand-alone Sustainable Development Goal.

As the target date for the Millennium Development Goals is approaching, focus on the succeeding Sustainable Development Goals, taking effect after 2015, is increasing. Norway is highly involved in the discussions and work leading up to this, and has decided on the following key priority areas: good governance, education, gender equality, sustainable energy for all and climate change.

During Foreign Minister Børge Brende’s visit this week, he promoted in particular the topic of good governance. -The post 2015 agenda must reflect the priorities of the people, and the concept of good governance, based on the principles of democracy, is clearly in tune with the voice of the people, said Brende in a statement held on behalf of the Nordic countries at the High Level meeting on Human Rights and the Rule of Law. The Foreign Minister further underpinned the importance of a full integration of human rights in the post 2015 agenda. – The question before us is not whether human rights should be included in the agenda, but rather how they should be included.

Norway, together with the other Nordic countries, are strong supporters of the need for a stand-alone goal on good governance and the rule of law in the new development agenda. – This should be separate from a stand-alone goal on peaceful and inclusive societies free from violence, which we also support, said the Foreign Minister on behalf of the Nordic countries.

In addition to giving the Nordic statement, the Foreign Minister had several meetings with key UN leaders, hereunder Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson to discuss the post-2015 development agenda and the current political climate.